Cigarette machine



April 12, 1960 e. DEARSLEY 2,932,300

' CIGARETTE MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG. I

INVENTOR. GEORGE DEHRSLEY r0 BY g miw HTTORNE'Y April 12, 1960 FiledNOV. 14, 1956 G. DEARSLEY 2,932,300 CIGARETTE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. GEORGE DEHRSLEY izwdfl HTTORNEY 2,932,300 CIGARETTE MACK-ENEApplication November 14, 1956, Serial No. 622,103

14 Claims. (Cl. 131110) This invention relates to improvements incigarette making machines and is more particularly concerned with themanner of depositing tobacco onto the conveyor belt on continuouscigarette paper web of a cigarette rod forming machine.

One of the criticisms frequently made with respect to the quality ofcigarettes is, that if existing cigarette machines are operated atspeeds producing in excess of 1200 to 1300' cigarettes per minute, thequality of the cigarettes, i.e., density and the uniformity of thecigarettes fabricated deteriorates rapidly with increase in speed.

It was found that this falling off in quality is largely due to theuneven distribution of tobacco in the rod forming trough. Thismaldistribution is a result of the sudden and violent change indirection of the tobacco particles from a verticalfalling motion to ahorizontal belt motion, when the tobacco is fed by gravity onto the beltor cigarette paper web moving in the bottom of the trough at relativelyhigh velocity.

Many attempts have been made to avoid this difiiculty by imparting ahorizontal component to the falling tobacco particles by means ofhurling screws, chute vanes, moving belts in the sides of the trough,etc. However, these devices have achieved only limited success at best.Also compressed air jets have sometimes been employed whichhowever'create a dust problem exteriorly of the apparatus due to thehigh'pressure air used, and also may cause separation to an undesirableextent of the finer tobacco particles or shorts from the longer tobaccostrands. i

It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide in acigarette making machine means whereby the quality and firmness of thecigarettes can be maintained or even improved, at cigarette makingspeeds far in excess of those presently employed.

v A more specific object of the invention is to accelerate the tobaccoparticles to such an extent as to enable them stream at the point wherethe air stream disengages from the tobacco shower.

An additional object of the invention is to maintain in 'the finishedcigarette rod the same separation and distribution of the tobacco shredsas to size which has been established by the tobacco picker mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to produce individual cigarettes ofmore uniform weight than heretoforep'ossible when operating at highcigarette making speeds.

a s P e i 5 ice Still another object of the invention is to make thetobacco picker mechanism independent as to location from the rod formingmechanism.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as thedescription of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustratethe invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this speci fication, like characters of reference have beenapplied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which makeup the drawings.

Fig. l is a diagrammatic representation of an elevational sectional viewof a tobacco feeder chute and rod forming mechanism associated withapparatus according to the present invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views and end views taken respectively onlines 22 and 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the rod forming trough andconveyor belt. a

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of an eleva tional section ofanother embodiment of the invention wherein the tobacco pickingmechanism is independently situated with respect to the tobacco rodforming problem.

mechanism. H Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5 taken on line 6'6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, the picked tobacco is showered from afeed mechanism (not shown) of stand ard conventional constructionthrough a chute 10 having converging side walls 12 and end walls 14 and16. Side walls 12 terminate in a U-shaped trough 18 into which thetobacco falls. As shown in Fig. 4 the bottom of trough 18 carries anendless travelling conveyor belt 20 or continuous cigarette paper web,upon which the tobacco filler is built up as the belt or paper passesbeneath the shower in the direction indicated by the arrow (see Fig. 1).The conveyor belt 20 rotates about pulley 22, enters trough 18 at 24,forms into a U-shape as it glides over the surface of trough 18 andpasses with the tobacco filler beneath a compressor wheel 26 at the farend o the tobacco shower. I

'The tobacco shreds, as they are hurled downwardly by a conventionalpicker mechanism or as they drop by gravity through the chute 10,encounter the conveyor belt 20 while the latter is travelling atconsiderable speed,

'which varies with the rate of output of the machine.

When the tobacco lands on the tape 20 it must be accelerated to theconveyor speed. During this acceleration considerable sliding andbouncing of the tobacco takes place causing build-ups and voids alongthe tobacco rod 28, being formed. The density of tobacco in thecontinuous rod therefore varies along the lengthof the rod and when therod is cut into cigarette lengths the cigarettes are found to beunevenly filled and to vary greatly in individual weight.

It is quite obvious that if a horizontal movement can be imparted to thefalling tobacco particles to cause them to arrive on the conveyor beltwith a velocity component substantially equal to that of the belt, bothas regards magnitude and direction, then the change in direction willtake place smoothly, resulting in a more uniform tobacco particlesbefore they come into contact with the V conveyor belt 20, compressedair has been used by being discharged through numerous air nozzles, oropenings .ar-

ranged along the sides of chute 10 or trough 18. However, although thedesired acceleration of the tobacco could readily be achieved in thismanner, great difficulty was experienced in disengaging the air streamfrom the tobacco. The present invention successfully meets this Inaccordance with the invention an air stream is introduced throughopening 30 provided in wall 14, at a velocity and volume to impart tothe tobacco particles a horizontal component in the direction of belttravel that is substantially equal to the velocity of the conveyor belt20. The carrier air leaves the chute .10 through air opening 32 in endwall 16 and enters an expansion chamber 34 having a crosssectional flowarea substantially in excess of that of opening 32 as illustrativelyshown in Fig. 3. Accordingly the carrier air flows intoa zone of reducedvelocity within expansion chamber 34 that is substantially. lower thanthe velocity maintained in the tobacco shower within chute '10. V Thelower velocity prevailing in expansion chamber 34 results in readydisengagement of the residual tobacco particles from the air streamwhich passes upwardly through outlet 56 and conduit 38 into the suctioninlet of fan 40. The outlet of fan 40 is connected to the inlet opening30 in end wall 14 by way of conduit 42 to complete the air flow circuit.The outlet of fan 40 may also be connected to an existing dust suctionsystem (not shown), of the cigarette making machine, by way of conduit44 which will place the entire air flow circuit comprising conduit 42,chute 10, expansion chamber 34, conduit 38 and fan 40 undersubatmospheric pressure.

Fan 40 maybe of the variable speed type permitting control of thecarrier air flow by controlling the speed of fan 40. In addition anadjustable valve or damper 46 is provided in conduit 44 to control andmaintain a desired negative pressure in the above described conveyingsystem.

Thus the invention provides for a clean running machine efiiectivelypreventing any dust leakage to the outside, for the whole length of thetrough 18 as well as the tobacco feeding chute 10 will be under a slightnegative pressure at all times.

Furthermore, the herein disclosed inventive system may be used as ameans of removing all fine dust from the tobacco, thus improving thequality of the cigarettes prouced.

According to another feature of the invention the compressor wheel 26provided at the rod finishing end of the tobacco stream is adapted tofunction as an air lock. Wall 43 of expansion chamber 34 is fittedsnugly around the sides and top of wheel 26 while the wheel peripheryhaving a U-shaped profile rolling over the tobacco rod 28 at the linearspeed thereof, effectively seals the interior of the expansion chamberagainst air leaking into the chamber 34 at the point where the tobaccorod 28 and conveyor belt 20 pass through wall 48, thereby effectivelypreventing any disturbance of the tobacco at this crucial point.

According to a further feature of the invention the carrier air afterhaving accelerated the tobacco shreds substantially to the speed ofconveyor belt 18 and deposited the tobacco thereon, sharply veers off at33 at right angle into a low pressure, low velocity zone, therebycausing remaining cigarette particles to drop out not onlyby force ofgravity but also by an additional centrifugal force caused by the upwardsweep of the air current.

Accordingly the conveying air leaves expansion chamber 34 in a conditionfree of tobacco shreds and without causing any turbulence anddisturbance of the to- 'bacco layer already deposited in trough 18 andabout to 7 pass under compressor wheel 26.

In Figs. and 6 there is illustrated another embodiment of the inventionwhich in diagrammatic form discloses another important feature of theinvention.

In existing cigarette making machines the feed must of necessity havethe final picker located above the tobacco delivering chute 19. Inconsequence thereof a' large portion of the feeder mechanism must besituated above the level of the final picker section leaving waste 68 inany suitable manner.

space approximately four feet high below the feed mechamsm.

The embodiment illustratively shown in Figs. 5 and 6 successfully meetsthis problem, since in the organization disclosed therein the positionof the feed mechanism is quite independent of the rod forming apparatusand thus may be placed close to it or in. a more remote position. Inpractice, it is convenient to place the feeder in proximity to the rodformer with the final picker section to the side thereof or towards therear. In any case it would be preferred to lower the feeder almost tofioor level.

Thus the final picker section 50 being a portion of a conventional feedmechanism (not shown) delivers the tobacco shreds into a suitably shapedbox 52 having converging sides 54 forming a trough and having end walls56 to which are connected conduits 58 and 60. Conduit 58communicateswith the pressure side of a fan 62 which may be of thevariable speed type, and delivers a stream of air to box 52 for thepurpose of picking up the tobacco and conveying it through conduit 60 tothe inlet opening of a tobacco delivering chute or chamber 64. Thischamber closed at the top is similar to chute 10 in as much as it hasconverging sides 66 terminating in the conventional U-trough 18 carryingendless conveyor belt 20 as described earlier herein above in connectionwith Figs. '1 through 4.

Chamber 64 has a cross sectional flow area which progressively increasesin direction of air flow indicated by arrow, from a relatively smallcross section at 66 to a substantially larger cross section at 68.

The air entrained tobacco travels through conduit 60 at a velocitysufiiciently high to prevent settling out and drifting of the tobaccoshreds. Upon entering chamber 64 the velocity is substantially butgradually reduced as indicated by enlarging of the flow area shown at 66to permit the tobacco to descend onto the moving belt 20. While the airtravels through the chamber 64 the cross sectional flow area is thusenlarged in a progressing manner until a maximum area is reached at 68approximately opposite the compressor wheel 26. In this enlarged regionthe air turns upwardly shedding in a slow velocity zone the remainingtobacco particles and enters conduit 70 leading to the inlet suctionside of fan 62 thereby completing the air flow cycle.

As in the embodiment earlier described herein in connection with Figs. 1through 4,'the outlet of fan 62 can be connected to a dust extractingsystem by way of conduit 72. Thus theentire air flow cycle including box52, conduit 60, tobacco delivery chamber 64, through 18, conduit .70,fan 62 and conduits 58 and 72 can be maintained under sub-atmosphericpressure which may be controlled by air valve or damper 74 provided inconduit 72. In this manner tobacco dust will be prevented from escapinginto the operating room and will be absorbed by the conventional dustextraction system.

The organization as above described and as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6permits complete flexibility of design regarding the position of thefeed mechanisms. It delivers the tobacco into the U-shaped trough 18with the desired forward motion and disengages the tobacco from the airstream without any noticeable turbulence or disturbance of the cigarettefiller already deposited on the moving belt 20. i

In addition a winnowing effect of the tobacco is achieved within thechamber 64, for the stem particles having a greater density will becarried further along toward the compressor wheel 26 than the lighterstrands of tobacco, thus achieving a desired separation. A stemcollecting box may be mounted in chamber 68 to collect winnowed stems.This stern box may be mounted in the chamber If desired a stern removingscrew can be provided in the box, in a manner similar to that shown inmy cope'nding application Serial Number 463,920 filed October 22, 1954.

The invention hereinabove described may therefore be varied inconstruction within the scope of the claims, for the particular deviceselected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possibleembodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to berestricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette making machine a belt surface moving in asubstantially level plane, means causing tobacco particles to descendupon said moving belt surface, means causing a gas stream to deflect thenormal path of said descending particles in direction of said belttravel in an atmosphere of predetermined static pressure, an exitchamber of increased volumetric capacity to cause a zone of lower thansaid predetermined static pressure, and having a conduit to bleed outthe air wherein said static pressure is maintained lower thanatmospheric pressure.

2. In a cigarette maker, the combination of a picker roller dischargingpicked tobacco into a duct conveying a stream of. air, a valve to bleedthe air to cause a static pressure lower than atmospheric, a beltdisposed in the bottom of said duct to seal the duct and convey thetobacco, means continuously to move said belt in direction of said airstream for receiving said tobacco upon the belt surface over apredetermined distance of travel, and wall means defining a crosssectional flow area of said duct at the downstream end of said distancethat is larger than the cross sectional fiow area of said duct at theupstream end of said distance.

3. In a cigarette rod forming device, a trough having a bottom includingan axially moving belt, means to shower tobacco particles into saidtrough and onto said moving belt surface, means causing the air carryingsaid descending tobacco particles to accelerate by suction in thedirection of said belts travel while said particles descend onto saidbelt surface, a conduit to exhaust out any accumulation of air, to keepthe static pressure, within said trough, lower than atmospheric and apart opening into a chamber of enlarged cross sectional flow area toreceive said carrier air at substantially reduced velocity.

4. In a cigarette maker, the combination of a picker roller dischargingpicked tobacco into a duct conveying a stream of air, a belt disposed inthe bottom of a portion of said duct to seal said duct and convey thetobacco, means continuously to move said belt in the direction of saidair stream for receiving a shower of said tobacco upon the beltssurface, and wall means defining a cross sectional flow area of saidportion that increases in the direction of belt travel to a point wherethe static pressure in said flow area is lower than atmosphericpressure.

5. Apparatus having the features specified in claim 4 wherein said wallmeans define a cross sectional fiow area that is a minimum at theupstream end of said duct portion and a maximum at the downstream endthereof having a gradual transition from the minimum crosssection to themaximum cross section.

6. In a cigarette making apparatus, conduit means to convey at a givenaxial velocity a stream of gas in a system having a conduit to bleed outexcess air to cause an environmental pressure lower than atmosphericpressure and descending tobacco particles, said conduit means includingan interiorly disposed belt surface moving in direction of said gas flowfor receiving said descending particles, and an extension of saidconduit means at the downstream end thereof, said extension having asubstantially enlarged cross sectional flow area causing a correspondingreduction of said given gas velocity.

7. In a cigarette maker, in combination a gradually expanding enclosedchamber under a static pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, atrough disposed within said chamber said trough having a bottomincluding a moving conveyor belt for receiving a shower of tobaccoentrained in an air stream, means forming an exit for said conveyor beltand tobacco through a wall of said chamber, and rotating air lock meansassociated with said wall and 6 operatively engaged with said conveyorbelt and tobacco at the point of exit through said wall.

8. An apparatus having the features specified in claim 7 wherein saidair lock comprises a wheel disposed in slidingly fitting relation withsaid wall adjacent and above said exit to compress said tobacco whilepassing through said wall. v

9. In a cigarette making machine a tobacco feed conduit having twoconverging side walls the lower ends thereof terminating in a troughhaving a longitudinally moving bottom, means to feed tobacco particlesentrained in air through said conduit and onto said moving trough bottomand to move said air and entrained tobacco particles by suction in thedirection of travel of said bottom at a given air velocity while saidtobacco particles descend onto said bottom to form a rod, wall meansarranged to expand said duct into a chamber of enlarged flow areawherein said given air velocity is substantially reduced, means formingan outlet for said tobacco conveying trough through the end wall of saidchamber, and a roller disposed in tangent relation with said tobacco rodand having an axis of rotation parallel to said end wall said end wallfitting closely around the sides and top of said roller, and said rollerrotating at substantially the same peripheral speed as the linear speedof said tobacco rod while compressing the tobacco into said trough toprevent disturbance of said rod formed tobacco by air leaking throughsaid outlet.

10. A tobacco conveying mechanism for a cigarette rod making machinecomprising a tobacco delivery chute having two end walls, a rod troughafiixed to the lower end of said chute including a paper strip adaptedto receive and convey said tobacco in direction of rod feed, air and airborne tobacco conveying means conveyed in a static pressure lower thanatmospheric to prevent any tobacco leakage from the tobacco conveyingmechanism including means forming an air entrance aperture in theproximity to the rod trailing end wall of said chute and an exitaperture for air and said tobacco rod in the proximity to the rodfinishing end wall of said chute, and an air receiving chamber having asubstantially enlarged flow area directly above and adjacent said rodfinishing end to permit ready disengagement of the tobacco shorts fromsaid conveying air in an atmosphere of reduced velocity.

11. A cigarette making machine comprising in combination a tobacco feedmechanism, a chute arranged to receive tobacco shreds discharged fromsaid feed mechanism and to deliver the tobacco onto a continuous movingweb of cigarette paper, air suction means arranged to impart at apredetermined velocity acceleration to the tobacco in the direction oftravel of the cigarette paper and having an outlet to reduce thepressure so as to lower the pressure below atmospheric, to prevent anyleakage of tobacco, and conduit means having a substantially enlargedcross-flow area to convey said air after the said acceleration has takenplace away from the proximity of said moving web at a substantiallyreduced velocity. V 12. A machine according to claim 11 wherein saidconduit means are arranged to deflect the air away from said paper Webin an upward direction substantially normal to the direction of travelof said cigarette paper web.

13. A cigarette making machine comprising in combination a tobacco feedmechanism, a chute arranged to receive tobacco shreds discharged fromsaid feed mechanism and to deliver the tobacco onto a continuous movingweb of cigarette paper, air flow means disposed adjacent the lower endof said chute and at the upstream side thereof with respect to papertravel and arranged to impart at a predetermined velocity movement tothe tobacco shreds in the direction of travel of said cigarette paper,conduit means having an enlarged cross sectional flow area adjoining thefar side and lower end of said chute and a damper to withdraw therefromsaid air at a substantially reduced -velocity,-whereby residual tobaccoshreds become easily disengaged from Said air current by gravitationalforce, said conduit means are organized to withdraw said air from saidchute upwardly and in a direction substantially normal to the directionof cigarette paper travel and under sub-atmosphericpres sure.

14. In a cigarette maker having the features provided for in claim 8wherein astem box is positioned to collect stems winnowed from saidtobacco shower.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,226Wales r Mar. '26, 1850 8 "liif'jffff'ff'fifl' Fq Stein "Nov. 1, 1927'Schunemann Apr. 15, 1930 Werner Apr. 23, 1935 Gooch Nov. 28, 1939Randolph Feb. 9, 1943 Patterson Oct. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS an D 16,.9. Great Britain Apr. 2, 1936 Germany Jan. 21, 1932

